Spring draft attachment



No. 6l6,684. Patented Dec. 27. |898. R. J. MCDANIEL 8f. S. V. GRAVES.

SPRING DRAFT ATTACHMENT.

(Application filed Oct. 22, 1898.)

(No Model.)

warum@ 9@ M 2Q y ROBERT J. HCDANIEL AND SALATIHEL Y.

SPRING DRAFT GRAVES, OF MCFALL, MISSOURI.

ATTACH lVl ENT.

.SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 616,684, dated December 27, 1898.

Application filed October 22,1898.

T all whom, t muy concern.-

Be it known that we, ROBERT J. MCDANIEL and SALATHIEL V. GRAvEs, citizens of the United States, residing at McFall, in the county of Gentry and State of Missouri, have4 invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spring Draft Attachments; and we do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such to as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of Yreference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in a yielding connection between a doubletree and a pole for vehicles; and it is the object-of our invention to prozo duce a device of this character in which vibration will be taken up between the team and the vehicle and form a means ot' taking up the slack tugs when the team is going downgrade, thus keeping the doubletree free 2 5 from the legs of the horses.

Another important feature of the present invention consists in the provision of means to limit the tilting of the doubletree,whereby we dispense with stays,straps,or chains which 3o are commonly used for this purpose.

In our invention we provide two plates, on the contact-faces of which means is provided for allowing onlya limited movement to the plate to which the doubletree is held,the nn- 3 5 der plate, carrying the doubletree, being allowed a longitudinal movement on the pole and actuated by a spring in a manner which will be hereinafter fully set forth.

To these ends and to such others as the 4o invention may pertain the same consists, further, in the novel construction, combination, and adaptation of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described and then clearly deiined in the appended claims.

Our invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-` Figure l is a top plan view of 'our doubletree shown as attached to a pole. Fig. L is a central vertical longitudinal section through 5o the pole and connections. Fig. 3 is a detail view of one of the contact-faces of the plate carrying on its upper side the doubletree.

Serial No, 694,300. (No model.)

Fig. i is a detail view showing the upper face of the plate which slides on the pole and to which the plate carrying the doubletree is held and on which said plate carried by the doubletree is allowed a slight tilting or rotary movement. Fig. 5 is a sectional view through the plates.

Reference now being had to the details of the drawings by letter, A designates the pole of a vehicle, on which is mounted a longitudinally-slotted strip B, the rear end of which is connected to the cross-piece B', as illustrated. The edges of this strip extend slightly over the edges of the pole, and said strip is provided to form a guide, over the edges of which the plate O,which has a dovetailcd recess, is fitted and allowed to slide longitudinally. This plate O has a lug on its under side which is guided in the longitudinal slot in said strip, and the upper face of said plate is recessed out, as at O', and in the center of the upper surface is an extension G2, having diametrically opposite lugs or extensions C3. D is a plate having a circular port-ion which is adapted to fit within the recessed portion of the plate O, and in the under face of said plate D is a recess D', having diametrically opposite extensions which are adapted to fit over the lugs or extensions on the plate O. 'When the two plates are placed together, the raised portion on the upper face of plate O engages in the recess in the under face of plate D, and it will be noted that the upper plate D will have a slight rotary movement when thus adjusted, the movement being limited by the extensions or lugs on the upper face of plate O coming against the edges of the recessed portion in plate D. By this means the movement of the doubletree E, which is secured to the upper face of said plate D,will be limited, thus doing away with straps, stays, or chains, which are commonly used and connected to the doubletree for the purpose of limiting its movement on its pivotal point. Mounted on the laterally-projecting portions of the plate D are the L-shaped brackets, the free ends of which engage under the under surface of the plate C and are provided to hold the two plates O and D together and will allow of slight rotary movement of the plates thus adjusted to- Mounted over the said plates is the gether.

IOO

slotted hammer-strip F, which is secured at its forward and rear ends to the pole in any suitable manner, and located Within the rear inclosed end of said hammer-strip is a coiled spring G, one end of which is connected to a fixed portion either on the pole or strap and its rear end is connected to an integral projection on the plate C. A second strap K has one end connected to the bolt Which passes through the doubletree, While its other end is connected to the projection on the plate C. This bolt, which passes through the doubletree and over which the end of the strap K passes, extends through and is guided in the longitudinal slot M in said hammer-strip, as shown.

From the foregoing description, when taken in connection with the drawings, it will be noted that our invention provides means whereby any vibration caused from the uneven pulling of the horses or any sudden strain of the animals will be taken up, and the partial rotary movement of the doubletree on the pole will be limited, thus dispensing With stay-straps, and when the team is going down a grade the spring connected With the doubletree Will take up the slack in the tugs and prevent the doubletree coming in contact with the legs of the animals.

IVhat We claim to be new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In combination With the pole of a vehicle, the longitudinallyslotted strip mounted thereon, a circular plate having a dovetailed recess on its under face, adapted to fit over and slide upon said strip, a `lug on the under surface of the plate guided in a slot in the strip, and a doubletree mounted on said plate, and a spring connected to said plate for taking up vibration, as set forth.

2. In combination with the pole, the slotted strip mounted thereon, a plate having a dovetailed recess on the under side, iitted over carried by the doubletree, guided in a slot in` the hammer-strip, as set forth.

4. In combination With the pole, the strip mounted thereon, the sliding plate mounted on said strip, the doubletree and plate connected thereto, the hammer-strip slotted as described, to receive a bolt carried by said doubletree, the rear end of said strip being inclosed, a coiled spring mounted therein, fixed at one end, with its outer end connected to a projection, the said sliding plate and the lstrip connected at one end to said projection,

its other end connected to a bolt carried by the doubletree, as set forth.

5. A device for limiting the rotary movement of a doubletree on its pivot, consisting of the plate C, recessed on its upper face, a

central projection With laterally-extendingl lugs, in said recess, combined with the plate D, the doubletree carried on its upper face, its under face being circular in outline, and adapted to tit in the recessed portion of the plate C, the under face of said plate D having a recess adapted to receive the projection on the upper face of plate C, and its rotary movement limited by the laterally-extending projections on the upper face of the under plate coming in contact with the edges of the recess in the plate D, as shown and described.

In testimony whereof We atx our signa tures in presence of two Witnesses.

the edges of said strip, a circular plate fitted I to the doubletree, said doubletree-carryingi plate adapted to fit in a recess in the upper face ofthe sliding plate, and having its ro- ROBERT J. MCDANIEL. SALATHIEL V. GRAVES.

lVitnesses:

' G. IV. LEWIS,

C. S. LocKWooD. 

